Albums backgrounds and history ( view Spanish version)

Back in 1993, a local pop-organization from home-town Deventer (located in the eastern part of Holland), pressed 500 CD's containing tracks of local artists and one of them was the Mendoza Dance Parti. The response was so good that the Mendoza's wanted more of this. Unfortunately there were no record labels available at that time who were interested in a release, so the Mendoza's formed their own label 'Phunky Pheasant Records'. And on this label, in the summer of 1993, the 6-trackvinyl EP ‘Pheasants’ came out!

This record was quickly followed by the second Phunky Pheasant release, in the year 1994. This 6-track vinyl EP ‘Strazz’ features the Groningen based rapper Sherlock. Sales all over the world proved the credibility of the Mendoza's.

Because of strong demand from the audience, these two records were compiled on 1 CD. At this time the Mendoza's already played all over Europe, from Barcelona to Hamburg and lots of stages and festivals between! In the summer of 1994 ‘Strazz Jazz Compilation’ CD came into this world. The tracks on this CD were all recorded 'live' to 8-track, with a very ambient lively and ‘rare groove’ character.

In 1995 the album ‘Speedy Chicken’ came out on CD. Recorded in the Boterdiep Studio Groningen and some additional live tracks (Boogaloo Club Berlin), this CD gives a impression of a band with a strong live-approach. With Mo'nique Bakker as the new gifted singer and Frans Cornelissen as the new trombone player, the material gets a special and soulful touch. (Phunky Pheasant Records Distribution: records/PIAS).

With a new drummer, the first single (Side Dish) for VIA-music was produced. After the single this mainly jazz-orientated label from Holland, signed the band for a whole new album. This single gave good impression of the new dimensions and possibilities of the new line-up of the band and the coming-up album! This multi-media album ‘Birdskin’ was released in 1996, containing 14 tracks and CD-ROM data. Good grooves and smashing vocals combined with modern multi-media like cartoons, video's and photo's on 1 CD!

In the year 2000 the new album ‘This Life’ was released. Filled with fresh tunes and multimedia stuff, the album surely was a good start of the new millennium! New vocalist Linda Bloemhard and Canadian drummer Greg Smith have added their spicy vibes to the Mendoza Dance Parti style. The result is a new and tasteful crossover between funk, pop, jazz, drum & bass, disco and many more styles without loosing the specific Mendoza Sound.

Right now the band is working on new material for a 5th album, with a superb group of singers: Adriana Romijn, Ivar, Lilian Vieira, Linda Bloemhard, MC Charme & Monique Bakker. Stay tuned for sound samples of new tracks on our sounds pages on this website.

to be continued..